HDTV support, Place your votes!

[GeoffQ]

Originally posted by dmiller
The reason I said that OTA is a joke is the minimal amount of actual HD programming available OTA. I recieve OTA HD and satelite HD, the comparison is just not fair. And it's not like I live in the backwoods sither, I'm actually just 35 miles from down town chicago. Far enough away that the buildings aren't causing any interferrence or bounce issues, but close enough that you'd think I'd be getting some decent OTA content. I am only able to tune in 1 or 2 channels at a time by rotating my on the roof arial HD antenna.

You must have a really crappy antenna. I have a wiengard in little Sarasota, FL 60 some miles from the transmission towers in Tampa and I get all the networks, even some in Ft. Meyers, and the rest of my local channels are broadcast in digital now. I get at least 30 channels broadcast digitally and 6 of those channels broadcast a lot of HD content albiet mostly in prime time.
A quick check on antenna web there are at least 15 channels broadcast digitally from around the same location in Chicago, with a good antenna you should be able to get all of them. You need to look into a better antenna. Good ones are only around $100.
Check it out, unless you have VOOM, OTA is much better than any cable or sat HD content. You will really enjoy it. Another thought, it could be your OTA reciever some are more sensitive than others I use a MyHD 100 not even 120.
GeoffQ

[stanger89]

dmiller,

But the Pyro can't record HD, it's an NTSC/PAL only, at least that's what the specs say. If you're saying you can record full resolution HD with that then that's different.

[AndyS]

I'd love to see support for OTA HD. I have two MyHD cards (a 100 and a 120) that are screaming to be controlled by SageTV. If I could have this, along with integrated TheaterTek (available with Studio, right?) I'd have a PVR solution that would be unbeatable IMHO.

Andy.

[Diginerd]

My 2c on HD tuning.

I have a Cablevision SA 4200HD cable box with firewire out. It's relatively trivial to capture the HD stream from this port. Admittedly the premium channels are set to co[py once, which effectively kills this path for software grabbing (Right now anyway, but there is no technical reason why it should be that way forever).

Thing is to capture successfully and easily I'm using my Mac, there is software for the PC but I've never really got it to fly.

Is anyone out there (sage?) working on integrating the windows VHS or or writing a plugin to support this method of capture?

It should work nicely with Sage, as you can control the STB via the firewire cable, and the stream is already MPEG2..

Anyone managed this with girder / significant hackage?

Am I alone in thinking this would be a really cool and from my semi-programmer eyes not extensively hard to do. Assuming of course that everythinging inside Sage isn't hardcoded...

[jptaz]

I voted for OTA...

I have real issues paying for a service that is free. Even the Pay services have relatively little "unique" non movie programming from what I have seen. I would be thrilled to be able to record some of the great programs on PBS HD. I only have a 32" HD TV set with built in OTA receiver (you know a REAL HDTV not an HD Monior) and the quality is so much better than the analog equivalent. I am one of those weird people who can see interlacing on a standard TV set...which is why I replace my 25" Sony NTSC TV. I have my SageTV system connected to my HDTV via a DVI cable which is outputting 1280x720. I would be thrilled to be able to record actual HD content from NBC, ABC, CBS, WB, UPN, and FOX. Just watching shows like Alias, Tru Calling, Gilmore Girls, Kingdom Hospital, The OC, via HD was worth the comercials, but I did eventually grow tired of it. Now I am back to just watching the recorded versions via SageTV since I don't have to watch commercials. I will occasionally tune into shows on PBS HD that catch my interest since there are no commercials.

OTA is the best way for me since none of the cable providers offer all the HD Channels in my area like UPN, WB, and FOX. Most of my favorite shows are on WB and FOX. UPN has some fun movies on Fridays.

I would rush out and buy what ever OTA solution SageTV Supported.

[syversen]

Whatever is chosen, it probably needs to be soon! The FCC has finally approved the mandatory broadcast flag crap... meaning that HDTV cards are going to be forced to implement DRM.

I don't see how any cards made after 2004 are going to be of much use within Sage... since the whole point is to be able to record and view at our convenience.

I have NO interest in being forced to watch what they want to make me watch, when they want to make/allow me to do so. That's the whole reason I like PVRs...

For those who are interested, MythTv has supported the pcHDTV card for quite a few months now. Of course, you have to deal with getting it up and running in Linux, not a trivial exercise. (I've done it a few times and it was always pretty painful!)

If the Sage folks could even announce which one will be supported we could buy them before they implement DRM... but we are running out of time.

- Jason

[Ted@TNT]

I am waiting to hear from Sage about hardware support and which cards they plan to integrate with for HD content as well. In the Tampa area, I have access to over a dozen HD channels, and they are simply amazing to watch. It kills me to have to go back to my regular CATV via PVR350 and Sage. I love the PVR capabilities, but the picture is not even close.

Stanger89, you've recently mentioned the minimal difference of HDTV on sets that aren't at least 50 inches. I can only assume that you're speaking about tube TV's, as I have less experience with them when it comes to HD. My 40" LCD looks real enough to crawl into when viewing the OTA broadcasts, but sadly, even with newer DVD's, it doesn't measure up.

I can attest to HD Satellite - doesn't compare to OTA. I HAD VOOM for a month, and I was depressed to see how much horrible compression had been applied to the HD broadcasts of HBO, Starz, Showtime, etc. Voom's "original" programming looked better, but I found nothing to hold my interest for more than a minute. Even that, though, did not hold a candle to the FREE OTA broadcasts.

Has anyone found a way to get any input card to work with 2.0? Even if the PVR function wasn't available yet, I'd love to incorporate my digital and HD channels into the Sage grid.

Ted

[EJDeHaemer]

I can record via firewire from my cable box and was thinking that I might be able to use sage and girder to record files for me. I don't surf channels with sage so I figured I could have girder handle the channel change events and if Sage switched to a hi-def channel it could initiate a firewire record with the dtcrecord application. This would capture the file but I would have make sure I had enough drive space and deal with the file managment, show names, etc my self. I would then playback via myHD.
The advantage of this method is to use sage's EPG. Otherwise I could just schedule a record event myself.

I haven't tried Girder yet so it will be a while before I can get it working.

Does anyone know if dtcrecord can take command line arguments or sendmessage commands?
--Eric

[stanger89]

Hey, for those of you interested in HDTV, Mark Cuban (I'm 90% sure) of HD Net has posted on the AVS Forum inquiring about delivery of HD Net content to HTPCs. So get over there, show your support and share your opinions!

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...hreadid=431660

[kny3twalker]

Yeah I am a little intimidated here
I would be posting number 1 if I did
I would love to see DVB cards though
I have read quite a few times on the AVS forum for a year or so now but
not sure with the topic being limited to mods and special members
if I should stick my nose in this

maybe once the topic gets more developed I will make my first AVS post
unless you feel I would not imposing
consider my statements would rather agreeing with you stanger rather than the other which believe in DVDs

I doubt DVDs would catch on like making DVB cards available here in the US like in Europe
DVB would explore here in US
making pvr 250 and such almost obsolete
and the quality would be much higher with normal digital cable and would be the best way to capture HD in my opinion

[stanger89]

Whether you post or not is up to you, there's nothing stopping anyone from posting in that thread. Just look at Mark Cuban (mcuban), he's only got just over 100 posts.

[kny3twalker]

yeah he is a billionaire and promoting the HD technology for us the users though

I will watch the topic today and tomorrow
and post tomorrow

guess I will post number 1 advising mark cuban how to spend his money

[Beelzebub]

Fireware sounds interesting, I have a few questions about it though

1. Is it possible to stream the mpeg.ts files from the HD Cablebox via the fireware cable to the PC. I thought the only thing like this was miniDV tapes. If its possible, how to you do it.

2. What software decoders, or Hardware decoders that support overlays are availible.

If you can get the mpeg.ts files, from the firewire, then firewire gets my vote.


ATSC is cool, but OTA really sucks, Antenna's, limited to 5 or so local channels PBS being one of them. I really don't see the need of watching RedGreen or Nova on HD, since that the only time I ever watch the channels. As for local networks. I wouldn't mind Smallville or Enterprise in HD, but thats the only thing I watch on those channels. I can't stand the countless reality shows.


QAM is completely out of the question, until a card is build that can receive Encrypted Channels. Once Cablecard is made the standard, I'm sure there will be a PC solution. Then you have the FussionHDTV III QAM, from what I read this thing is extremely limited evan for Un-Encrypted channels. major driver issues, lockups, you name it. So in all reality there is no real PC support for QAM.
However ultimatily a QAM card with a cablecard slot is my dream. If SageTV doesn't support it, I will promptly change to any program that does. Evan if its Windows MCE.


I was thinking of a 3rd Solution, and thats the New DTV Tivo's. I read somewhere that you will be able to stream the files to the PC. So that might be something to keep a eye out for. My Cable company says they should be availble soon, and only cost $15 a month to rent so I will most definately get one.

[stanger89]

Originally posted by Beelzebub
Fireware sounds interesting, I have a few questions about it though

1. Is it possible to stream the mpeg.ts files from the HD Cablebox via the fireware cable to the PC. I thought the only thing like this was miniDV tapes. If its possible, how to you do it.

Yes, with the right software. HAVi I believe is the standard used, not miniDV.

2. What software decoders, or Hardware decoders that support overlays are availible.

Not sure what you're talking about there.

If you can get the mpeg.ts files, from the firewire, then firewire gets my vote.


ATSC is cool, but OTA really sucks, Antenna's, limited to 5 or so local channels PBS being one of them. I really don't see the need of watching RedGreen or Nova on HD, since that the only time I ever watch the channels. As for local networks. I wouldn't mind Smallville or Enterprise in HD, but thats the only thing I watch on those channels. I can't stand the countless reality shows.


QAM is completely out of the question, until a card is build that can receive Encrypted Channels. Once Cablecard is made the standard, I'm sure there will be a PC solution. Then you have the FussionHDTV III QAM, from what I read this thing is extremely limited evan for Un-Encrypted channels. major driver issues, lockups, you name it. So in all reality there is no real PC support for QAM.
However ultimatily a QAM card with a cablecard slot is my dream. If SageTV doesn't support it, I will promptly change to any program that does. Evan if its Windows MCE.


I was thinking of a 3rd Solution, and thats the New DTV Tivo's. I read somewhere that you will be able to stream the files to the PC. So that might be something to keep a eye out for. My Cable company says they should be availble soon, and only cost $15 a month to rent so I will most definately get one.

Don't think that Firewire gets around the encryption problem, recording from Firewire only works if 5C isn't invoked on the FW link.

[snoop244]

I'm for DVB. One note of caution on Firewire. Sage has a significant international following and all of us outside the U.S. will not necessarily benefit from the firewire route. None or my country's cable or satellite providers will support firewire any time soon (if ever). I understand that the major market for this product is the U.S., but I just think it's worth keeping in mind.

S.

[schulzpm]

I would love to see the myHD card supported. I have been watching Sage from the sidelines (use MCE as main GUI) and would purchase in an instant if I could get OTA HD.

[eobiont]

I think Firewire would be the easiest to implement.

Some thing like iRecord (Macintosh only) + Sage 2.0 = Pure Viewing Satisfaction.

iRecord is free at http://home.comcast.net/~macpvr/irecord.html

[briands]

I voted ATSC because I have a MyHD card. Because of a system conflict between this card and my new FX5700u in my HTPC, the MyHD card is retiring to another machine. For Sage to work for me, I would need it to play back the TS files as well as controling the remote tuner card (Sage recorder?). This would allow timeshifting with this card, which it can't do with using it's hardware decoder.

[Bear]

Stanger89 - we need to include the Sasem box in the QAM category. Since Sage recognized its SDTV portion without any other effort from my end, I would see this as the next logical place to go...

Later,
Bill

[stanger89]

Done, I think QAM wasn't supported when I started the thread, but it's got it now so it's in there.